THE HARBOR OF THE FUTURE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 3 August 1907, Page 3

THE HARBOR OF THE FUTURE.

If there is anything in the invention which has been recently patented by Philip Brasher, a Princeton College man, a revolution will be brought about in the construction of anchorages and harbors for the merchant and other fleets of the world. The young American's aim is nothing short of a provision of a means for calming the troubled waters of the sea. It is indeed an ambitious I proposal, but Mr Bra-slier has patented his idea after much experimenting and close observation of the action of the waves. He claims to have already succeeded in quietening the waves of the sea with that which agitates them., namely, air.Brasher noticed the effect of air bubbles upon the surface of waves—the waves were apparently flattened out at the point where these air bubbles rose to the surface—and he has gone to work to perfect a device whereby these air bubbles can be made use of over any given area aud act as a dead line to coming waves. Beyond the line of bubbles the roughest water loses its surface action and becomes comparatively calm. When the Manchuria went on the reef near Honolulu she was not at first seriously damaged. Jf the sea could have been quietened for even a short time, until wrecking tugs had been rushed to the scene, the big ship might have been saved. But the sea pounded and lifted and steadily undermined the structure of the vessel, and in the end she became all but a total loss. Sir Brasher was first led to study waves and their action while managing some baths at Coney Island in 1001. He noticed that the protective bulkhead erected to protect the baths was constantly being washed away. Then it occurred to him that something done beneath the waves would be the simplest form of protection —that is, he would not wait for them to break and do their damage, but would still them before their arrival at the danger point. Brasher bad also noticed the effect of compressed air, as it came up from the tunnel works under the rivers around New York City. Waves that infringed on the bubbled area raiwM by the air collapsed like balloons that had been pricked. Continued observation of this phenomena gnu- MiBrasher the idea which he has now patented. "I have found," be says, "that by discharging a compressed elastic fluid, such as air, beneath the surface of the wafer at a reasonable distance from the object- -to be protected I can effect an almost complete destruction of the waves, so that the waves approaching an object will be substantially annihilated by tbe wave destroying action of the rising globules or bubbles or columns of expanding elastic fluid and the object effectively shielded or protected from wave action."' The .apparatus is simple. At a distance from the object to be protected it a pipe perforated with holes and connected with the shore or a boat, where a compressed air plant is situated. In stress of weather the air is pumped out and the waves are stilled. Says Mr Brasher:—"Consider a disabled ship drifting on to a lee shore. She emild simply throw out a sea anchor to which was fastened a distributing pipe for the compressed air, and which could lie held far enough away from the ship by means of a secondary anchor. Thus protected, the ship could be in perfectly smooth water till repairs could be made or the .sea subsided. In the same way stranded vessels could be protected from the pounding waves till floated. Lightships conld be surrounded by a circle of pipes and lie i;> the centre of an a!' solutely calm surface. A space in front of live-saving stations could be covered so that lifeboats could be launched and started, for once started they could brave almost any sea. Bulkheads and breakwaters already built eoul dbe afforded absolute protection by means of parallel pipes in front of them at a suitable distance, and artificial harbors could be constructed by simply running a line of pipes between two projecting headlands. I believe that in the mo*t distant future harbors will be constructed in tho middle of the in places of more than ordinary roughness, by means of pipes sus])endcd from a series of floats so placed that both floats and compresser will be protected from any danger of wave action. 1 expect to establish an experimental station some time in the coming summer, in which 1 shall use various kinds of pipes, placed in various positions under different circumstances. As the complete continuity of the particles is absolutely essential to wave motion, the position and J kind of pipe which most completely de:stroys that continuity is the one which 'will give the greatest satisfaction. I should start the station immediately were it not for the fact that I was in charge of important engineering work which I cannot leave unfmi-hed. As soon a* that is completed.' however. 1 shall devote myself entirely to niv invention and its utilisation.''